This invention generally relates to a clutch sleeve assembly and more particularly to a reinforced polymer clutch sleeve assembly.
Clutch systems are used in vehicles to facilitate changing the transmission gears. Depressing a clutch pedal within a vehicle forces a series of components to interact with each other, thus causing disengagement of the clutch from the engine. When the clutch is disengaged from the engine, transmission gears can be changed. One integral component of the clutch system is a clutch sleeve assembly.
Typically, the clutch system includes pairs of facing plates or clutch discs. One set of plates is driven by the engine and the other set drives the transmission when the two sets of plates are in contact. A clutch cover assembly is movable to selectively squeeze the two sets into engagement. An actuator such as a clutch pedal linkage or hydraulic/electronic control moves a linkage to control the squeezing of the discs.
A clutch sleeve assembly is the component that facilitates disengagement of the transmission and engine by stopping the clamping action of the clutch cover assembly. Each clutch sleeve assembly includes a sleeve and a bushing disposed within the sleeve. The sleeve assembly needs to be extremely durable due to the excessive tensile forces it encounters. Historically, clutch sleeve assemblies, including the sleeve and the bushing, are made entirely of metal. However, there are disadvantages to using metal clutch sleeve assemblies including, but not limited to, the cost and weight of metal.
More recently it has been proposed to use composite materials with a metal liner to form the release sleeve. However, it would be desirable to increase the strength of these assemblies.